Life in SEA is not all about magic. There are beautiful landscapes with precious flora and fauna too. Please enter if you love magic and the nature. If you are particularly looking for magic alone, look elsewhere please for you shall be disappointed. All materials are for entertainment purposes only.

Saturday, June 25, 2016

Hachiojo Castle (八王子遗迹)

An old man told me that it is best just to walk up the trail and not walk down. Because walking down will not only bring bad luck; but spirits in the forest may also follow the person back.

The Hachiojo castle is one of eight renowned historical
sites in Japan but unofficially; this castle is believed to be haunted.

Actually, Hachiojo Castle is built on the peak of a hill.
Normally hill top castles are mainly built during the warring period for
defence purposes; and as with all historical warfare incidents in Japan, there
would be many casualties. The worse scenario is that if the castle is concurred
by the enemies, the soldiers would either be killed or committed suicide. It
was said that this Hachiojo castle has seen a horrible war involving 20,000 strong
men.

According to history, the Hachiojo Castle has a tragic
ending. Hojo Ujiyasu (北条氏康) asked his 3rd son, Hojo Ujiteru (北条氏照) to
build the Hachioja Castle to defend against the attack of Takeda Shingen (武田信玄).
About 3 years after the castle is built, Takeda Shingen attacked the Hojo
family. At that time Hojo Ujiteru escaped to Odiwara Sastle (小田原城) and
the Hachiojo Castle was taken by the enemy. The defending generals were either committed
suicide by harakiri (切腹) or died by then; and all women in the castle committed
suicide. After the wall, Hachiojo Castle is abandoned until today.

It was said that the water of this waterfall turned red and flew for 3 days and 3 nights... And this waterfall is haunted!

As described by a description board at the site, when the
Hachiojo Castle was concurred by Takeda Shingen, the generals and women
committed suicide at a waterfall nearby. It was said that the water few from
the waterfall was red in colour for 3 days and 3 nights.

There is a small incident that happened to me at the
waterfall. I was some sort of lost while hiking to the waterfall. So, I waited
for my friend to get me… And suddenly I heard the disembodied voice of a woman
humming a song. It sounds like: “he.. He… HE… HE.. he…”

I thought it was the wind but later my pals told me that
many people also heard the disembodied voice especially at night. Just as when
we were talking at the waterfall, the voice was heard again and we all quickly
left the place for good…